Shanti Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Today I feel sick and like I've been run over by a truck. I feel achy all over, just like the flu. Has anyone had this? I've heard the term [Paxil flu] before but haven't read much about it. If anyone's had it, how long does it usually last and how often do you get it? Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012. Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38) My Paxil Website My Intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted October 23, 2011 Administrator Share Posted October 23, 2011 If it's the Paxil flu, it's a withdrawal symptom. Some people get it and some people don't. This is one withdrawal symptom that doctors recognize. I believe it must last a few weeks, which is why doctors think withdrawal is that short. But -- you're still tapering, Shanti. I would take this as an indication your tapering schedule has caught up with you, particularly that big drop from 30mg to 20mg. If I were you, I'd hold at this point and see if the withdrawal symptoms stabilize. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanti Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Thanks Alto. I think you're right, it's a good idea to stay for a bit. It's hard fighting the urge to hurry and get it over with, but I don't want to cause permanent damage. I notice that every morning I wake up with tinitus and it goes away when I take my morning Paxil dose. I hope that's not something that will stick around when I'm done. Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012. Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38) My Paxil Website My Intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladybug Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Keep in mind it is the beginning of flu season, so it could also be an actual flu. The biggest difference between the two is a real flu will give you a fever, but the Paxil flu will not. a.k.a JMarie Paxil since Mar.1998 2006-2007:40-20mg 2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg 2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg 2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg 1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg 6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg 1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg 7/31/18: 3.9mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanti Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Hmm. Well, I don't think I have a fever. Today I'm not as achy but have a headache and nausea. I think it's from the fast drop like Alto said. I went from 40 mg to 20 mg in just over a month. I'd already gone through the worse of that so I went ahead and stayed at 20. I guess I was feeling a little too confident that dropping just a couple mgs wouldn't effect me that much, but it does. I've heard others say it gets harder at the lower doses. Taper from Cymbalta, Paxil, Prozac & Antipsychotics finished June 2012. Xanax 5% Taper - (8/12 - .5 mg) - (9/12 - .45) - (10/12 - .43) - (11/12 - .41) - (12/12 - .38) My Paxil Website My Intro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Just wondering if anyone has ever gotten or heard of the "24 hour flu bug"? This has happened to me 4 times in the past two years. The most recent time was last night. All day yesterday I had a headache, then at night it got really bad so I decided to take advil to get rid of the headache. About two hours later my headache did not improve then I started feeling really warm, then started getting cold chills. Then I felt nausea, upset stomach, had diarrhea, headache got worse almost felt like a vice grip was locked on my head with unrelenting pressure and aches all over my body and felt like I was going to die, of course that wasn't the case but I felt really bad. Basically I got flu like symptoms I think. At that point I took some Neo citron and about an two later I started feeling better and fell asleep. This morning I woke up feeling fine. No symptoms from last night and I was able to go to work. I was thinking at first maybe it was food poisoning but usually it's supposed to last much longer and I probably wouldn't be able to function today. I had food at restaurant yesterday with a friend and he did not get sick. The last time I got this "24 hour flu bug" I had food at home and nobody else in my house got sick except for me. Anyone else ever get this or ever here of this? Especially in withdrawal. Aug 27, 2014 I will be 21 months off 5htp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 This paxil flu makes sense for people who are still tapering.. and I suppose pooped out could have the same I believe I did have this... in pooped out. I have a new question does anyone think it possible to have this post withdrawal... I would like to suggest it is possible and if it is possible that this sort of "flu" hits in withdrawal pooped out and post withdrawal perhaps there is more to it than we think. It is just a suggestion coming from the fact I have just read Mr Dentons post about having this part way thru his taper and his description is the same as what I had not only in pooped out but for 3 months post ct ...but have had a few times this year? I wonder what could be the underlying force for this if indeed I am correct and there is more going on here than we think. Ideas and your account of the situation are welcomed. MCV ... large blood cells is all I can recall from then.but there may be more.. I would have to look. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDenton Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Btdt, what is especially weird in my case is that it is in full force for a week or so and then it seems to heal with still giving some symptoms, like an occasional episode of shivers or slight eye pain or cold feet, and then it almost goes away, so for a day to 2 you do not have any flue like symtoms and then it solwly starts again until it is in full force. Also for the whole time i haven had these non stop flu symtoms my anxiety levels are very high, feel strong negativity and my mind is thinking almost uncontrollably which makes it very difficult to find peace. I had 1 good day in November and 2 good days in December when the flue symtoms whent completely away, and the anxiety was also gone, i had good energy levels and overall positive mood. From December 27 there has not been almost no days when i feel better at least for a few hours, it is a suffering from morning to night, very weak, unforgiving diarrhea, and for me, worst of all- arrythmias, always followed by nausea. But fortunately i sleep pretty well, thank god for that, and this is the main reason why i have stopped my tapper at the moment. I will go and see the best hematologist in the country on Tuesday and see what he will think of my blood picture, and after that i think i will do a 24 hour Holter monitor test. The only thing i could think of causing it, and i am probably wrong, are the tiny inconsistencies in the daily doses. I thought that when i am weighting my pills i will not get exactly the same result and then i am taking one day more the other day less and this is what makes this paxil flu (that usually lasts for 5 days) last and strike over and over again. But this is a stupid guess, and highly unlikely since i have a 0,0001g scale (0,1mg) and it cost my about 1000 dollars, and the daily dose in my experience does not varie more than 0,0005-0,001 mg's, which i think is too few to create these kind of symptoms. 2011 Developed anxiety and panic disorder, started out of a blue. 2011 Seroxat and Remeron (for insomnia) In 2012 tappered Remeron in 3 month without much complications. 2013 March started Seroxat withdrawal from 33mg's I tapper 5-10% (from the dose i am at) every 3-4 weeks. Current dose 4,38 mg's have not reduced in 4 month (trying to stabilize). My update thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7750-mrdenton-constant-flu-for-2-month-could-use-an-opinion-seroxat-taper/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikam Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 This description is the same as what I had not only in pooped out but for 3 months post ct ...but have had a few times this year? Could you please name some symtoms of your paxil flu, like did you have painful eyes, abdominal pain, cold feet, shivers, fatigue, weak legs, like fever but actually did not have temperature etc. Thanks So, if have temperature this means I have a normal flu??? - 12.03.2021- doxepin- 50mg - 6.11.2020- 75mg - 16.10.2020- 100mg - 30.09.2020- doxepin- 125mg - May 2020, omeprazole 40mg switched to esomeprazole 20mg - 2012 re-started Doxepin 75mg, evening. Increased to 150mg - 2012, Atenolol 25mg, twice a day - 2016, Low dose of HRT in evening, Sandrena and Utrogestan - Long term of Nasal spray Otrivine - 2012, PPI Omeprazole 40mg-evening 24.10.2014- Started ESCITALOPRAM-first 5mg and then 10mg; due to the adverse symptoms reduced on 5.01.2015- Escitalopram- 2.5mg 22.07.2016- re-started reduction by 1% at a time. Completed tappering on 19.03.2020 😇 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatGMax Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hi All, I dropped from 2.5 mg to 2.0 mg Lexapro (Yes, I know, too fast). 2-3 weeks later I got hit with sore muscles, swollen glands, fatigue. But not as bad as a full flu. I'm beginning to feel better 10 days later but can still feel it. I cannot exercise like I was. My wife got hit with a virus roughly the same time. I didn't get a sore throat or blocked nose though. Is there a way to tell SSRI withdrawal flu like symptoms from a Virus? Cheers Damien Off all SSRIs as at November 2016. Been on SSRIs (mainly Lexapro) for around 15 years. failed attempts to go cold turkey before I got proper info on it. Over last 2 years I've slowly gone from 20 mg Lexapro to 2.5 mg Lexapro. on 25th Jan 2015 I've now moved to home made liquid Lexapro. Plan is to drop roughly 0.2 mg per month over the next 1-2 years. 25th Jan 2015 2.5 mg Lexapro liquid. 24th Mar 2016 1.0 mg lexapro (crushed tablet mixed and refilled into capsules) Planned to be at 0.0 mg lexapro by about October 2016. I also take 50-100 mg modafinil per day, no short term plans of stopping/tapering modafinil but will re-evaluate after I'm off lexapro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I would guess with the real flu you would be running a high temp. But not with withdrawal. Just a guess though. Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg. 1/01/15 - .75 mg. 1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues... 2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me! 3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad! 4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatGMax Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Thanks Petunia and DLB. I didn't have a fever, so I think it tips the balance in favour of paxil (Lexapro) flu. Feeling better this week so hopefully back to normal (or ssri normal anyway) by next week. Most annoy bit was it seemed to kill the small amount of physical fitness that I had been building up. 2 steps forward, 1 step back. Back to .1 mg drops and a 2 year timeline! Cheers Damien Off all SSRIs as at November 2016. Been on SSRIs (mainly Lexapro) for around 15 years. failed attempts to go cold turkey before I got proper info on it. Over last 2 years I've slowly gone from 20 mg Lexapro to 2.5 mg Lexapro. on 25th Jan 2015 I've now moved to home made liquid Lexapro. Plan is to drop roughly 0.2 mg per month over the next 1-2 years. 25th Jan 2015 2.5 mg Lexapro liquid. 24th Mar 2016 1.0 mg lexapro (crushed tablet mixed and refilled into capsules) Planned to be at 0.0 mg lexapro by about October 2016. I also take 50-100 mg modafinil per day, no short term plans of stopping/tapering modafinil but will re-evaluate after I'm off lexapro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Wow, two years for 2.5 mg. this is up there with the best of them. You have great patience. Hang in there. Paxil start September 2003 due to Fluoroquinolone adverse reaction that I wish doc. knew what it was. 10mg. most of the time with a few short runs of 20mg. FAST tapered 3 times and finally hit poop out or a reaction to nsaid's in Nov.2013. Started a 10% taper Jan. 2014 and have been ok until Sept 14 and went through a short hell. Now plodding through and looking for the light with unrelenting insomnia and pain, fog, loss of interests....<p>12/20/14 - .8mg. 1/01/15 - .75 mg. 1/15/15 - .42 mg. better sleep now, hope it continues... 2/11-15 - .25 mg. doing really good!! 2 weeks feel 85% of old me! 3/17/15 .14 mg. Knee pain bad! 4/07/15 .05 mg. this is so small now that I am estimating and just licking it off palm small as a "." 4/13/15 NOTHING !!!! Took my last little micro dose on 4/12/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatGMax Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Hi DLB, I would love to do faster! I tried the 2.5 mg to 2.0 mg drop after I started taking MTHFR supplements. (The MTHRF supplements were making me feel better so I thought I could handle it). But the side effects put a strain on me, family and work. The paxil flu came after 2 weeks of feeling grumpy (I mainly held it in ;-). Too much else is going on. I have a 3 and 4 year old boys to deal with. My 3 year old show some signs of Autism, (Speech delay etc). But other signs of non-Autism. (Happy, makes eye contact, loves hugs etc, follows instructions and is quite bright in other ways). I think he will be ok. He is on the borderline and confusing doctors for diagnosis. But I think he needs his father's full attention. The SSRI withdrawal is just taking too much of my energy from work and family if I go any faster. At the moment I'm trying to put in place a 0.1 mg drop per month schedule and then see if I can mentally let it go. I think I'm obsessing about it too much. (Though obsession and digging did help me discover I had the MTHFR gene which has helped.) Cheers Damien Off all SSRIs as at November 2016. Been on SSRIs (mainly Lexapro) for around 15 years. failed attempts to go cold turkey before I got proper info on it. Over last 2 years I've slowly gone from 20 mg Lexapro to 2.5 mg Lexapro. on 25th Jan 2015 I've now moved to home made liquid Lexapro. Plan is to drop roughly 0.2 mg per month over the next 1-2 years. 25th Jan 2015 2.5 mg Lexapro liquid. 24th Mar 2016 1.0 mg lexapro (crushed tablet mixed and refilled into capsules) Planned to be at 0.0 mg lexapro by about October 2016. I also take 50-100 mg modafinil per day, no short term plans of stopping/tapering modafinil but will re-evaluate after I'm off lexapro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldturkmama Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 whenever I have a wave, I'll have at least one day where I'm super cold, can't get warm and have stomach troubles! I'm 17 Mons out from a cold turkey...from paxil, anyone else notice that? Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout October 2013 quit cold turkey Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window Late November WD nightmare Windows and waves pattern Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieb Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Wow .You are brave doing cold turkey. I am on a protracted withdrawl from paroxatine currently on just under 3 mg and I have recently not been able to get warm .Normally it's the other way round and I'm sweating all the time. Been taking paroxatine for approx 15 years.Tried a few times yo stop but failed. Am currently on 3.5mg liquid Jan 2016 been slow tapering paroxatine and i am currently at 2.9 mg and last drop was 5 weeks ago. Started to feel awful about 3 weeks ago with brain ???? , shakes, blurred vision and dizzyness. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldturkmama Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 not brave, uninformed...no one ever told me there was even a possibility of withdrawal, and these problems. I had no idea what was happening. Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout October 2013 quit cold turkey Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window Late November WD nightmare Windows and waves pattern Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Yes, I get flu like symptoms in waves - I also get tremors, anxiety, diarrhea and insomnia. I take laxatives otherwise the bad stomach affects my sleep. Edit: Also chamomile chamomile chamomile, honestly feel like I should put that in my signature just because it's the only thing that I've found is able to help with all of this. Have been on psyc drugs for years, too many to include in this signature. Currently on 475 mg lyrica, 37.5 mg venlafaxine 50mg seroquel, 2mg melatonin. 1-2.5 litres chamomile, only thing that seems to help with all of this. Multivitamin and vitamin D prescribed by doctor for not going out in the sun enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookson Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Had the this for two weeks recently. Experienced rapid shifts in temperature. But mainly extreme fatigue. I mean debilitating. Sleeping 10 hours a night then another 2 hours nap during the day. Absolute madness just coudent shake it off. 2013-July 1st Citalopram 20mg () 2013-August 19th ended Citalopram cold turkey med free. (Took them for 7 weeks) When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; But when I became a man, I put my childish things away. - 1 Corinthians 13:11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherry47 Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 How long do your waves last? Mine come with this awful burning feeling as well - anyone else? Sometimes last for hours and I feel so sick, other times they pass more quickly. Sometimes feel it may be related to what I have eaten ( when I do eat!) but mostly have given up on trying to find specific reasons for any symptoms. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 32 years, given AD for this condition alone in 2000 Zoloft 100mg for 15 years, last five of these complained about adverse effects, unable to tolerate other meds even supplements Slowly felt sicker, advised by different Dr maybe on ads for too long Cut back 100 - 50 over 6 months, still getting worse, so stopped over about 6 weeks starting Dec 2014 First month, slow, emotional, useless then POW! Horrendous withdrawal symptoms, completely non-functional for about five months, slowly started to come back to life and continue with waves and windows, still more bad than good, but bads are less bad, and goods slightly better each time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADropInTheOcean Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I am flu like most of the time...19 months off. Cherry47...yes burning skin and muscles. On various meds since 2004(Luvox, Paxil-5 years, Zoloft, Trazodone, etc) for anxiety.CT Luvox 20th September 2013, started Klonopin 1mg (now on 0.25mg). Hellish depression, burning head, crying spells,extreme emotional rollercoaster, severe fibro-neuropathy like pains-never had any of this prior to meds. 31 months off and its worse and worse no life AT ALL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellisimo Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 whenever I have a wave, I'll have at least one day where I'm super cold, can't get warm and have stomach troubles! I'm 17 Mons out from a cold turkey...from paxil, anyone else notice that? The flu like symtom came to me aswell in waves, now its much better.. Iam soon 21 months off. Looking forward to the 2 year mark I have notice SUGAR is a VERY bad trigger for many symtoms! 2007 - 2013: was on citalopram (tried to quit a few times, never worked, always went back on. max dose 40mg) 2012-2013: was tapering my citalopram all down to 2,5 mg then quit.2013/aug: Took my last pill W/D hit me bad after a few weeks off my medicine. 2014/August: 12 months off (much improved) 2015/April: 20months off. ( much improved, still some symtoms comes in waves, but not so intense.) 2015/june: 22months off. FELT different than before, all shakings suddenly stopped, feel much better. a fantastic feeling! 2016/Feb : 2 years and 6 months off, END of my suffering. I feel perfectly fine and back to normal. 2018/Oct: Iam still feeling great. It is hard to believe my own story when I read back, what I went through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellisimo Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 How long do your waves last? Mine come with this awful burning feeling as well - anyone else? Sometimes last for hours and I feel so sick, other times they pass more quickly. Sometimes feel it may be related to what I have eaten ( when I do eat!) but mostly have given up on trying to find specific reasons for any symptoms. The burning sensations I have had ALOT during my 21 months off.. sugar triggers it many times, so do stress..it has been one of the most annoying symtoms ever 2007 - 2013: was on citalopram (tried to quit a few times, never worked, always went back on. max dose 40mg) 2012-2013: was tapering my citalopram all down to 2,5 mg then quit.2013/aug: Took my last pill W/D hit me bad after a few weeks off my medicine. 2014/August: 12 months off (much improved) 2015/April: 20months off. ( much improved, still some symtoms comes in waves, but not so intense.) 2015/june: 22months off. FELT different than before, all shakings suddenly stopped, feel much better. a fantastic feeling! 2016/Feb : 2 years and 6 months off, END of my suffering. I feel perfectly fine and back to normal. 2018/Oct: Iam still feeling great. It is hard to believe my own story when I read back, what I went through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2knit Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Yes, I get the burning sometimes. Not as much as I used to. I am in a wave now (2 weeks so far), and yesterday I felt like every inch of my body was burning--even my eyeballs. Flu-like symptoms and every other symptom I have had in withdrawal returned yesterday. Today seems to be a BIT better so far. Zoloft 100 mg. daily for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since Oct. 1994 / Synthroid 88 mcg. daily / Supplements: Neptune Krill Oil-1,000 mg. twice daily/Astaxanthin 10 mg. twice daily/Ubiquinol 100 mg. twice daily (These 3 have allowed me to discontinue (approved by doctor) bp meds I was on. Calcium Citrate 500 mg. daily/Vitamin D3 2,400 iu daily/K2 (MK7) 100 mcg daily (osteopenia and fam. hist. of severe osteoporosis). Stress B Complex (1/2 dose)/Quercetin (for allergies/asthma)/Magnesium (400 mg. oral glycinate and about 50 mg. magnesium chloride spray oil a day, divided throughout day). Tapered Zoloft about 6 wks. Totally off since the end of July (25-29, 2014). 3 wks. vertigo at end of taper, then 3-4 wks. OK, followed by withdrawal symptoms increasing in severity (nausea, gastric disturbances, loss of appetite, insomnia, restlessness, jitters, anxiety, agitation--jumping out of my skin--possible akathisia?) Seem to have paradoxical reactions to everything new, even Vitamin C. Severity of akathisia comes and goes, but is constant to some degree. Hard to leave house, and cannot be home alone. (Retired) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frustrated Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Oh the burning is horrible. It feels like my skin is literally aflame. I also get waves of chills and nausea and cramping etc... 2002-put on amitryptiline for fibromyalgia. 10mg.2004-stopped abruptly. Didn't think it helped.2006 approx.-put on Paxil for mild anxiety 20 mg.2007 upped to 40 mg. not sure why.2011- tapered from 40 to 10. went nuts and went back to 20mg2014- tapered from 20mg to 0 from April to The end of June.current meds- Metformin(type 2 diabetic) and low dose aspirin.Take multi vitamin and vit b12, vit. D and magnesium. 5 months off Paxil. Still suffering.recently added 1.2mg of Paxil to alleviate withdrawals.(Nov 30)Dropped to .9mg because having symptoms from reinstatement.(dec 23)<p>taper to .76mg-.8mg (Feb 3) approx. weight .010 to about .008-.009 on scale..6mg (march 19th.) .5mg(April 19th).4mg(April 27th).2 (June 27th) 0mg. done taper at beginning of August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldturkmama Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 How long do your waves last? Mine come with this awful burning feeling as well - anyone else? Sometimes last for hours and I feel so sick, other times they pass more quickly. Sometimes feel it may be related to what I have eaten ( when I do eat!) but mostly have given up on trying to find specific reasons for any symptoms. The burning sensations I have had ALOT during my 21 months off.. sugar triggers it many times, so do stress..it has been one of the most annoying symtoms ever And I crave sugar....interesting! Paxil 20mg from 1998-2011 Paxil 40mg from 2011-2012 while experiencing poopout October 2013 quit cold turkey Oct-mid Nov 2013 great window Late November WD nightmare Windows and waves pattern Now: 28 months cold turkey...doing decent learning to deal with the windows/waves pattern fighting it every step of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orangecat Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Hi there. I seem to get the Zoloft flu nearly every time I taper, even if it's just a faint thing after a small taper. If the taper was large, the flu gets worse. Generally it is a feeling of congestion behind the nose combined with a weird "fever" feeling in the head and plenty fatigue. It's particularly strange when it first pops up because sometimes my emotional symptoms and rumination hasn't appeared yet, making it a purely physical withdrawal experience. It lasts a few days it seems, waxing and waning during that time. Starts up about four or five days after a taper. Strangely enough it seems to appear in the afternoons. I'm taking the Zoloft in the evenings, so maybe it corresponds to a kind of physical craving? Mornings are reserved more for the high cortisol experience of anxiety, although after a too-ambitious taper the flu has appeared as fatigue in the am as well. Does anyone have supplements or practices that help out with the fake flu? It's not too debilitating to me I suppose, and I prefer it to the mental symptoms, since those are harder to discern as withdrawal related. It does make me feel "sick" and woozy though, and I'd prefer not to have to devote more time than I have to to nursing it. I've been resting and drinking small doses of magnesium via Natural Calm throughout the day. I think the magnesium helps it somewhat. Time and rest certainly help. Ideas? Similar symptoms? Found this site for real in 2015. Decided to taper slowly. ** I should mention that anytime I haven't been in a wave, I've felt pretty amazing! I only record the waves to look for patterns : ))** 50 mg Zoloft 6/2015, with intermittent fish oil 6/9/15 alternated 50 mg/37.5 mg - doc's idea (she meant well) 6/17 terrible morning anxiety and rumination, flu symptoms, and prickles in legs. 6/18 up to 45 mg liquid Zoloft. 6/26-29 cortisol mornings and bad anxiety. 6/30 started to take mag 100 mg and fish oil regularly with med 7/4 44 mg. 7/8 42.6 mg. 7/16 40 mg. 7/23 39 mg 8/1 32 mg (bad idea). 8/5 fatigue, anxiety, can't sleep, depressed. 8/7 36 mg resolved to be patient and try to keep to THE THREE KIS's. 8/13-15; 8/17- 23 painful physical and mental wave. Started light therapy 20 m in am. 8/25 34 mg, added 80-100 mg liquid mag during day. great window til 8/29 2 day down stretch 9/8 32.8 mg 9/11-14 wave added acupuncture 9/22 31.5 mg teeny wave 10/6 30 mg small grumpy wave 10/19 28.5, same pattern- small wave at day 5. A few tough weeks. Held around 29 until 11/18 when dropped to 28 mg; 11/22 the usual fluey fatigue. 11/30 27 mg 12/14 25.75ish mg "hold til Xmas club" (in my case New Years) Xmas was tough, kept holding: by 1/15, feeling good again. 1/25/16 Mirena IUD out after nearly six years- I think it was affecting my mood and taper- feeling super great! 2/2 down to 24 mg. symptoms much less severe. One day, not too bad wave on 2/8. 2/15 down to 20 mg from 24. A week later, two restless mornings and one morning of brain fog. 3/2 from 20 to 16 mg! Wish me luck. Medicine History: Currently tapering from 50mg Zoloft. Ten years of SSRI's including Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft, as well as a stretch with Wellbutrin added to the Zoloft. When I started on Zoloft (4 years ago?) I was on 100 but was able to taper down to 50 via 25 mg increments slowly around 2013. Have used light therapy and fish oil intermittently since around 2013. Have tried unsuccessfully to get off the meds since then in what I know now to be too large a taper (for example, jumped from 25 to 12.5 and that did not work). Motivated to do this slowly because that's the only way it will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cressida Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 I am 46 months off Paxil ( only drug I ve taken) . I had a massive setback at 22 months caused by a couple of glasses of red wine a night which has left me with a big histamine sensitivity/intolerance, and another at 28 months. caused by 3 days of fruit smoothies trying to be healthy and detox. Recently have been in contact with several people who have had viral illnesses. I have some signs of viral infection , some glands in face and neck, I never seem to get much of a temperature . But I feel absolutely dreadful. That overwhelming out of proprortion I feel I am about to die malaise. Its a bit late in the day for paxil flu so am guessing its somehow triggered WD sx. Unfortunately was due to take a trip abroad Friday . Can't see that happening. Not taking ABs or anything . Haven't seen a doctor in the whole of WD . Am of the too frightened to go brigade. The feeling of awfulness is out of proportion to the infection. Has the infection triggered old sx ? Haven't felt this bad for quite a while Paxil 10mg 21/2 years to June 2012 after a 2 month taper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephone Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 Just wondering if anyone has ever gotten or heard of the "24 hour flu bug"? This has happened to me 4 times in the past two years. The most recent time was last night. All day yesterday I had a headache, then at night it got really bad so I decided to take advil to get rid of the headache. About two hours later my headache did not improve then I started feeling really warm, then started getting cold chills. Then I felt nausea, upset stomach, had diarrhea, headache got worse almost felt like a vice grip was locked on my head with unrelenting pressure and aches all over my body and felt like I was going to die, of course that wasn't the case but I felt really bad. Basically I got flu like symptoms I think. At that point I took some Neo citron and about an two later I started feeling better and fell asleep. This morning I woke up feeling fine. No symptoms from last night and I was able to go to work. I was thinking at first maybe it was food poisoning but usually it's supposed to last much longer and I probably wouldn't be able to function today. I had food at restaurant yesterday with a friend and he did not get sick. The last time I got this "24 hour flu bug" I had food at home and nobody else in my house got sick except for me. Anyone else ever get this or ever here of this? Especially in withdrawal. Aug 27, 2014 I will be 21 months off 5htp. I was also really sensitive to noise and light. But that could have been from the headache I had which was extremely bad. Hi Johnson, I realize that I am replying to a post that you made almost two years ago, but are you still getting these 24 hour attacks? What you are describing sounds very much like a migraine headache: severe headache, head feels like it is in a vice grip, nausea, diarrhea, light and noise sensitivity. 1980-84?: tricyclic antidepressant? unknown dosage, gradually quit by forgetting to take it 2011: Cipralex 10 mg increased to 20 mg after two months, Zyprexa 2.5 mg increased to 5 mg after one month 2012: Cipralex 20 mg, Zyprexa reduced to 2.5 mg, then stopped (withdrawal symptoms attributed to depression), Abilify 2 mg, then increased to 5 mg 2013: Cipralex 20 mg, Wellbutrin 150 mg, Abilify decreased to 2 mg and then stopped 2014: Cipralex reduced to 10 mg (no taper and withdrawal symptoms), Wellbutrin 150 mg 2015-16: Cipralex 10 mg, Wellbutrin 150 mg Started tapering Cipralex on March 31, 2016: 9 mg; April 27: 8.25 mg, May 25: 7.25 mg Off Cipralex late fall 2016 after a slow taper. Off Wellbutrin late winter/early spring 2017 after a taper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Persephone Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 Today I feel sick and like I've been run over by a truck. I feel achy all over, just like the flu. Has anyone had this? I've heard the term [Paxil flu] before but haven't read much about it. If anyone's had it, how long does it usually last and how often do you get it? This is exactly how I felt when I went off Zyprexa, but I did not connect it to withdrawal at the time. I got it several times a week for a while, then it slowly diminished, but would reappear now and then. In total, it lasted about 3 years. However, I also went off Abilify and my Cipralex dose was cut in half during this time, too, which may have prolonged it. I didn't know about the need to taper or about withdrawal symptoms. I thought the pain was a weird symptom of shingles, which I got within a week of going off Zyprexa. My doctor thought the pain was a symptom of depression and completely dismissed it. 1980-84?: tricyclic antidepressant? unknown dosage, gradually quit by forgetting to take it 2011: Cipralex 10 mg increased to 20 mg after two months, Zyprexa 2.5 mg increased to 5 mg after one month 2012: Cipralex 20 mg, Zyprexa reduced to 2.5 mg, then stopped (withdrawal symptoms attributed to depression), Abilify 2 mg, then increased to 5 mg 2013: Cipralex 20 mg, Wellbutrin 150 mg, Abilify decreased to 2 mg and then stopped 2014: Cipralex reduced to 10 mg (no taper and withdrawal symptoms), Wellbutrin 150 mg 2015-16: Cipralex 10 mg, Wellbutrin 150 mg Started tapering Cipralex on March 31, 2016: 9 mg; April 27: 8.25 mg, May 25: 7.25 mg Off Cipralex late fall 2016 after a slow taper. Off Wellbutrin late winter/early spring 2017 after a taper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area1255 Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 Today I feel sick and like I've been run over by a truck. I feel achy all over, just like the flu. Has anyone had this? I've heard the term [Paxil flu] before but haven't read much about it. If anyone's had it, how long does it usually last and how often do you get it? Yes, I've experienced that, except with Luvox, see here. Past AD Experiences : (Fluvoxamine 3 years, D/C'd @ age 15). “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it” ~Terry Pratchett~ WITHDRAWAL REGIMEN/STORY Originally for OCD, the luvox took about 6 months to taper off. Withdrawal supplements; lemon balm, Vitamin B3, black water/fulvic acid, high-protein diet to restore neurotransmitters, aniracetam to counter memory issues, deprenyl for persisting anhedonia. Regimen still maintained til this day. Lemon balm, generally as capsules, however, as I suffer chronic Insomnia, I often use essential oil or as aromatherapy before bed , in combination with magnesium and lysine on bad nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area1255 Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 I guess it would be hard to tell the difference, but do you have other symptoms of flu? For example, withdrawal related is usually nausea and sweats in particular, but no swollen glands or any other flu-symptom. You also wouldn't likely get congested by withdrawal, but you may see signs of dermal discomfort / irritation, and these symptoms are usually accompanied by severe Insomnia and psychological complaints. Past AD Experiences : (Fluvoxamine 3 years, D/C'd @ age 15). “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it” ~Terry Pratchett~ WITHDRAWAL REGIMEN/STORY Originally for OCD, the luvox took about 6 months to taper off. Withdrawal supplements; lemon balm, Vitamin B3, black water/fulvic acid, high-protein diet to restore neurotransmitters, aniracetam to counter memory issues, deprenyl for persisting anhedonia. Regimen still maintained til this day. Lemon balm, generally as capsules, however, as I suffer chronic Insomnia, I often use essential oil or as aromatherapy before bed , in combination with magnesium and lysine on bad nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdt Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 I had swollen glands in wd.. and congestion really bad congestion I still have it hit and miss. I think the only thing that parts real flu from wd flu is fever... for years I did not have a normal temp I still don't. I have to be at deaths door to spike a fever and then it is just above normal that was with a raging uti found blood and bacteria in urine. One in all these years I had a fever and I had pneumonia without a fever... figure that one out. WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG Had a car accident in 85 Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89 Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above. One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking. As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/ There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area1255 Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 I had swollen glands in wd.. and congestion really bad congestion I still have it hit and miss. I think the only thing that parts real flu from wd flu is fever... for years I did not have a normal temp I still don't. I have to be at deaths door to spike a fever and then it is just above normal that was with a raging uti found blood and bacteria in urine. One in all these years I had a fever and I had pneumonia without a fever... figure that one out. Yeah that's odd. I haven't heard that much. Maybe withdrawal hits the immune system after all? Past AD Experiences : (Fluvoxamine 3 years, D/C'd @ age 15). “Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it” ~Terry Pratchett~ WITHDRAWAL REGIMEN/STORY Originally for OCD, the luvox took about 6 months to taper off. Withdrawal supplements; lemon balm, Vitamin B3, black water/fulvic acid, high-protein diet to restore neurotransmitters, aniracetam to counter memory issues, deprenyl for persisting anhedonia. Regimen still maintained til this day. Lemon balm, generally as capsules, however, as I suffer chronic Insomnia, I often use essential oil or as aromatherapy before bed , in combination with magnesium and lysine on bad nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddybuggaorange Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I woke up today with really bad flu like symptoms (body aches, fatigue, chills, nausea, but no diarrhea or fever) plus agitation and weakness, my legs were buckling under me and I was out of breath walking across the house. No fever, I was ok and functioning yesterday. I had dropped from 15 to 10.75 mg remeron, crashed monday, so i went back to 15 mg Tuesday night. I had experienced these types of days over the past year more times than I can count while coming off multiple drugs. I thought it was my c. Difficile infection, id always panic and go back on antibiotics. However, without diarrhea doctors said it didn't make sense and said it didnt fit c. Diff symptoms; something else was going on. So all this time it could have been withdrawal? This is so hard to take...I just get one set of symptoms figured out and other stuff pops up. Started klonopin 11/7/14 at 0.5 mg on K consistently until week prior to Christmas on/of Klonopin and 0.5 mg Xanax until 3rd week in February tried c/t 3rd week in february, crashed hard, ER several times 1 mg klonopin last week in February until 2nd week in March Quit Zoloft c/t 1st week of March 2015 & started Amitriptyline Quit amitriptyline 2nd week in March & started Cymbalta 0.5 mg cut of Klonopin 2nd week in March 0.5 to 0 mg Klonopin taper March to June 2 off Klonopin since June 2 Stopped cymbalta august 24, started zoloft august 24 Seroquel taper from 75 to 0 over 12 days, last dose September 4. Started Compazine Aug 12, 10 mg day Stopped compazine aug 17, bad withdrawl Started Remeron 3.75mg 10/12/15 Off Compazine 11/2/15 Off Zoloft 11/25/2015 Off Remeron 1/2/16 Brief encounter with Buspirone 1/13/16 - 1/18/16 2 tablets, bad reaction - severe depression Tried Colonidine 1/14/16-1/20/16 - severe depression Only Atenolol since 1/20/16 Reinstated Remeron 15mg 3/26/16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddybuggaorange Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I woke up today with really bad flu like symptoms (body aches, fatigue, chills, nausea, but no diarrhea or fever) plus agitation, burning sensation in my arms and legs, and weakness...my legs were buckling under me and I was out of breath walking across the house. No fever, I was ok and functioning yesterday. I had dropped from 15 to 10.75 mg remeron, crashed monday, so i went back to 15 mg Tuesday night. I had experienced these types of days over the past year more times than I can count while coming off multiple drugs. I thought it was my c. Difficile infection, id always panic and go back on antibiotics. However, without diarrhea doctors said it didn't make sense and said it didnt fit c. Diff symptoms; something else was going on. So all this time it could have been withdrawal? This is so hard to take...I just get one set of symptoms figured out and other stuff pops up. Started klonopin 11/7/14 at 0.5 mg on K consistently until week prior to Christmas on/of Klonopin and 0.5 mg Xanax until 3rd week in February tried c/t 3rd week in february, crashed hard, ER several times 1 mg klonopin last week in February until 2nd week in March Quit Zoloft c/t 1st week of March 2015 & started Amitriptyline Quit amitriptyline 2nd week in March & started Cymbalta 0.5 mg cut of Klonopin 2nd week in March 0.5 to 0 mg Klonopin taper March to June 2 off Klonopin since June 2 Stopped cymbalta august 24, started zoloft august 24 Seroquel taper from 75 to 0 over 12 days, last dose September 4. Started Compazine Aug 12, 10 mg day Stopped compazine aug 17, bad withdrawl Started Remeron 3.75mg 10/12/15 Off Compazine 11/2/15 Off Zoloft 11/25/2015 Off Remeron 1/2/16 Brief encounter with Buspirone 1/13/16 - 1/18/16 2 tablets, bad reaction - severe depression Tried Colonidine 1/14/16-1/20/16 - severe depression Only Atenolol since 1/20/16 Reinstated Remeron 15mg 3/26/16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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